What's on the Grill #284: Boston Beer Can Chicken

If there was ever to be an iconic grilled meal, it would probably be beer can chicken.  Yes, anything can be grilled and when I say anything, I mean anything.  Remember, I've even tried hog stomach.  

However, of all the things we grill, what has style?  What has panache?  What looks like it is having a party while its insides are cooked by 300 plus degree heat?  The simple answer?  Beer can chicken.

One important point.  When I say beer, I don't mean fizzy yellow lager.  I mean beer.  One of the greatest benefits of the surge in canned craft beer is the added choice of beer can chicken pedestals, and when the Sam Can hit the scene, the greatest pedestal of them all found a permanent spot on my kettle.  I could not be more pleased.

Boston Beer Can Chicken
Source: Another Pint Please

Whole chicken (5-6 pounds)

1 16 ounce can Samuel Adams Boston Lager (half full, so be sure to drink half!)

1 t salt
1 t freshly ground pepper
1 t granulated garlic
1/2  t cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground red pepper

Ideally, a 3-5 pound chicken works best for beer can chicken when working with a 12 ounce can.  However, this recipe calls for the new 16 ounce "Sam Can."  Larger can means larger chicken.  

Be careful, though, if the chicken is too big, the height from its added perch could hamper getting the lid back on the grill.  My chicken was 7 pounds, and it barely, and I mean barely, fit.  (If you have the rotisserie ring, it can be used to give you another good 8 inches of grilling height.)

Prep the grill for indirect medium heat (350-375 F) with coals pushed to both sides of the kettle and a drip pan in the center.

Assemble your rub ingredients…and maybe a beer or two or three.

Beer can chicken can be a little finicky to manipulate once atop its aluminum chair. To make things easier, I like to put half my rub on before can insertion and the other half after.

When done, the bird should be well covered.  If not already, be sure to tuck the wings back.

Also, take note of the can sizes and just how far the 16 ounce can goes into the cavity.  This is a big bird and the 12 ounce can would not have been big enough.

Carefully transfer the chicken to the grill and place on the grate, over the drip pan.  Close the lid and allow to cook 1 hour and 15 to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 F.

Getting the chicken off the grill can be just as tricky as getting the chicken on the grill.  Remember, that can full of beer is hot, hot, hot.

Using grill gloves, transfer the chicken to a cutting board to transport inside the house.  Leave the chicken in its vertical position; otherwise, the hot beer will spill out, making a mess and setting you up for injury.  

Once inside, place the cutting board right next to the sink edge.  With one hand, angle the chicken so it is mostly vertical, but so that the can is over the sink.  With a gloved hand, remove the can from the cavity so that it falls into the sink.  Place the "can-less" bird back on the cutting board, carve, and serve.

Not only is beer can chicken always great to eat, its presentation is a crowd pleaser.  Coupled with some great beer, it makes for a fabulous grilled dinner.

Note: My great friends at Samuel Adams were nice enough to forward me a few of the new 16 ounce cans and my dear friends at Weber were very cool to post the above picture on their Facebook page over the weekend.  I am certainly blessed with such awesome pals!